Amusement apparatus.



J. A. & L. VOLLER. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS APPLIOATION FILED MAY 3,1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY-3, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909. a SHEETS-SHEET a.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. VOLLER AND LEO VOLLER, 0F ETNA, PENNSYLVAIA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NGV. 30, 1909.,

Application le. May 3, 1909.

Serial No. 493,707.

To all whom it may concern: f

Be it known that we,JosnPH A. VoLLnR and Luo VOLLER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Etna, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lfmprovenients in Amusement Apparatus, of

. parks which will afford considerable amusementto persons interested in base ball.

Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement apparatus by which a y persons skill can be tested in throwing a ball or similar article at a target.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a portable target having a novel mechanism adapted to bel actuated by a blow from an object to release a figure that strikes in the' pathof the object, similar to a base ball player 'striking at a ball and missing the Same. i

A still further object of this invention is to provide an amusement apparatus of a simple, durable and inexpensive construction that 'can be easily maintained in an operable condition.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, are attained by a portable apparatus that will attract considerable at. tention and afford considerable amusement to 'adults as well asjuveniles, either as 'a i throwing test or purely from an amusement standpoint.

rlhe invention will be hereinafter consid-l I ered in detail and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings forming part of this specication, wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, but it is to be understood that the structural elements thereof can be varied or changed, as to the size, shape and manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the amusement apparatus, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the saine partly broken away and partly in section, Flg. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the apparatus illustrating the rear side of the Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line X-X of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line lll-W of the same figure, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of-a portion of the back stop, Fig. 7 is a front elevation of an annunciator forming part of the apparatus, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a detached movable figure 0r vbutton forming part of the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 designates oppositely (disposed standards, having the confronting sides thereof provided with vertical grooves 2, to receive the vertical edges of a back-stop, comprising superposed transverse boards, 3,' 4, 5 and 6, connected by vertical parallel cleats 7 `and 8.

9 designates tie rods connecting the upper and lower ends of the standards 1. The lower ends of the standards 1 are provided with feet 10 for supporting the back-'stop in a vertical position.

11 designates a cushion arranged upon the front side of the back-stop. Covering the cushion 11 is a canvas 12, having painted or otherwise marked thereon the representation of a portion of a base ball lield, including the home plate, catcher, and the grand stand.

13 designates a block xedly secured to the rear side of the back-stop board 5 and connected to this block is a hinge 14 for a vertical plate 15,' said plate having the front side thereof provided with a button 16 and secured to said button is a disk of rubber 17, said buttonand disk of rubber extending through openings 18 provided therefor in the board .4, cushion 11 and covering 12.

19 designates a strap carried by the board 5 for limiting theprearward movement of the plate 15, and connected to the upper end of said plate is a clip 20, to which is attached the end of a cable 21 adapted tol pass over a sheave 22 revolubly supportedby the board 4. The cable 21 is attached to a lever 23 pivot-ally connected, as, at 24 to the rear side of the board 4. Secured to the outer end of the lever 23 is a coil spring 25 having the opposite end vthereof attached to the board 5, as at 26.

Secured togthe frontside of the back-stop at one side of the opening 18 are hinges 27, said hinges extending through the canvas 12, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Connectedto hinges 27 is a ligure representback-stop,

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ing a batsman, said figure consisting of a lnetal body 28 having a metal extension or bat 29, and limbs 30, said limbs depending from the lower edges of the metal body 28. The body 28 can be padded to protect objects contacting with the same.

31 design'ates a rearwardly extending latch carried by the body 28 and adapted to extend through the opening 32 provided therefor in the back-stop, whereby said rearwardly extending latch can be held by the lever 23.

33 designates a rearwardly extending arm carried by the body 28 and disposed at an angle thereto, said arm extending through a slot provided therefor in the back-stop, one end of the slots having a cushion 35, preferably made of rubber, to prevent the arm from injuring the back-stop, as will presently appear. Attached to the outer end of the arm 33 i/s a coil spring 36 having the opposite end thereof connected to an adjustable screw 37, carried by a bracket 38 secured to the strap 19 of the back-stop.

39 designates a cable extending over a sheave 40 carried by the board 4, thence downwardly under a sheave 41 carried by one of the feet 10, and then forwardly to the attendant stand 42, whereby said cable can be pulled by the attendant to reset the mechanism carried by the back-stop, as will appear in the general operation of the apparatus. The stand 42 is supported between wire side frames 43 which extend from one end of the apparatus to the other. The stand 42 is adapted to support balls or spherical bodies 44 which are to be thrown to the opposite end of the apparatus. The wire side frames 43 are adapted to confine the balls or spherical bodies 44 to prevent a Vwildly thrown ball from being lost, also to prevent spectators from interfering with or becoming injured by a ball thrower.

45 designates a rodattached to thearm 33, adjacent to the outer end thereof, said rod extending at an angle toward the vertical cleat 7, and connecting with a knife switch 46, carried by the cleat 7, said knife switch being in circuit with a suitable source of electrical energy, as a battery not shown,

and an annunciator 47 locate at the for-' ward end of the apparatus. The annunciator has a gong 48 adaptedto be sounded .when a' projected ball or spherical body has accurately struck the target. The annunciator is further providedwithl a plurality 'of inscriptions 49 to indicate whatthe player or ball-thrower has accomplished when striking the target and associating with the said inscriptions 49 isa pointer 50. To operate the pointer-50 ofthe annunciator the pointer being connected to the armature shaft of a motor so thatl when the motor is started 1t gives suflicient impetus to revolve @kansas cations are simply by chance depending upon' if The operation is as follows: It is the aim of the pitcher or ball thrower to throw the ball directly over the home plate shown on the canvas 12, whereby the batter will either strike at the ball or have a strike recorded against him. Assuming that a ball is accurately projected over the home plate, and strikes the canvas 12 in front of the rubber disk 17, the button 16 and the plate 15 are forced rearwardly, the rear movement of the plate being limited by the strap 19. The cable 21 is pulled upon by such a movement of the plate and elevates the spring-held end of the lever 23, releasing the hinged body 28, and allowing the spring 36to pull upon the arm 33 and swing the body 28 forward, whereby the body will appear as having struck at the ball. As the body swings upon the hinges 27, the knife switch 46, is closed, establishing an electrical circuit through the annunciator 47 that immediately sounds a gong, operatesthe indicator and which associating with the inscriptions` 49' indicates whether a strike, two-base hit, etc. has been made. The body 28 can be restored to its normal position by the attendant of the apparatus pulling upon the cable 39, which through the medium of the rod 45 opens the switch 46, restores the arm 33 to its normal position with the spring 36 under tension, and allows the latch 31 to ride under the lever 23 and said lever again engages the latch. In restoring the lever 23 to its normal position, the plate 15 is again carried to its normal position and the apparatus is again in position for use. Since the body 28 is snugly held against the canvas 12, a wildly thrown ball will not injure the bo'dy, while the limbs depending from the body impart a more ylifelike appearance carried by said body and protruding through said back-stop, a spring held lever for normally engaging said latch, means actuated by a movement of said plate for moving said lever and releasing the latch of said bod the pointer for a few seconds and the indiand means connecting with the arm of said normally holding said body against said back-stop, and means actuated b amovement of said plate formoving said lever to release said body.

3. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with an annunciator, an electrical switch controlling the operation of said annunciator, and a back-stop, of a hinged plate carried by the back-stop and normally maintained in a vertical position, a body hinged to the front of the back-stop, a retaining means for normally maintaining the said body against stop, means Connected with said plate and ada ted to be actuated when the p-lateis shi ted for releasing said retaining means, means connected with said body for actuating .the same forwardly of the back-stop when said retaining means is released, and means operated by said actuating means for swinging the' switch to cause the operation of the annunciator.

4. In an amusement apparatus comprisinga back-stop, a hinged plate carried by the back-stop and adapted to be shifted in one direction when struck by an object, a body movably connected to the front of said backstop, a latch carried by said body, a lever carried by the back-stopand engaging said latch for maintaining the body in engagement with the front of the back-stop, means connected with the lever and with the. plate and adapted to be operated on the movement of the plate in one direction to actuate the lever to release the latch, and means connected to the back-stop and to the bod for swinging the body forwardly of the ackstop when said latch is released.

5. ln an amusement apparatus comprising a back-stop,

the front of the backa hinged plate carried by the back-stop and adapted to be shifted in one direction when struck by an object, a body movably connected to the front of said backstop, a latch carried by said body, a lever carried by the back-stop and engaging said latch for maintaining the body in engagement with the front of the back-stop, means connected with the lever and with the plate and adapted to be operated on the movement of the plate in one direction to actuate the to the back-stop and to the body for swinging the body forwardly of the backsstop when said latch is released, and means connected to the last mentioned vmeans for rest'oring the body to normal osition, and means for automatically restoring the plate to normal position. A

6. lin anamusement apparatus comprising a back-stop, a hinged plate ca/rried by the back-stop and adapted to be shifted in one direction when struck by an object, a body movably connected to the front of said backstop, a latch carried by said body, a lever carried by the back-stop, and engaging said latch for maintaining the body in engagement with the front of the back-stop, means connected with the lever and with the plate and adapted to be operated on the movement of the plate in one direction to actuate the lever to release the latch, means connected to the back-stop and to the body for swinging the body forwardly of the back stop when said latch is released, a switch, an annunciator controlled by the operation of said switch, and an operative connection between the means for swinging the body and said switch for actuating the switch to operate the annunciator when said body is swung forwardly ofthe back-stop.

`In testimony whereof we ax our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. VOLLER. LEO VOLLER.

Witnesses:

A. H. RABSAG, l MAX H.- SnoLovI'rz.

lever to release vthe latch, means connectedg 

